Knights of Celestia
by Whattheydonttellus
Summary: The feared broncos have taken over equestria, and there are only 9 heros who can stop the dark horses. The ponies find themselves not caring about dresses, but to keep your head in the fight, a valuble lesson when guns are introduced to MLP. This is only the beginning, if anybody wants me to keep going i would be more than happy to post the rest.
1. Part 1

_Knights of Celestia_

By rivers ulmer

Rarity-

Years ago, we lived in equestria in eace and prosperity, but that all changed when the broncos attacked. Our forces fought to the last breath, but were still pushed back the inner walls of the kingdom. History books tell us little about the war, and what little is said, are lies. My name is Rarity, and im going to tell you what REALLY hapened.

It was hot outside, a summer day, i dont remember exactaly what he said, but spike was rambeling on about having to do too much aroun the house, even though i let him live there for free. I was reading a small book, one my dad gave me when i was a little girl, he handed it to me just moments before he laid down his life to protect the dutches, who was now the princess. My father was in the royal gaurd, the best of the best, and he in particular was beey close to Celestia, who looked out for me when i was growing up. The book was short, i must have read it a hundred times by now, it was the story of a young pony who would stop at nothing to become the most well known pony in the kingdom. It was my favorite bedtime story, my dad read it aloud every night, the end was my favorite, "you dont need to be seen as a hero, you just need to do what is right." Those were the last words i heard from my father before he was struck down by a bronco with a scar in the shape of a cresent over his eye, and it was that day i vowed vengence.

I finally gave spike some attention and told him he could do the dishes 2 nights instead of 4, just so he would shut up. Rainbow dash was at the door, i opened it and she threw a newspaper in my face.

"What is this?" I asked, trying not to sound annoyed about hitting me in the nose with some paper that i had no interest in.

"How have you not heard of this?!" She was almost yelling.

"I would tell you but i dont known what IT is."

"It the broncos, they almost succeded in taking over the kingdom last time, now they're back with more troops and fire-power." This sent of a buzzer in my head, my chance to avenge my dad's death.

I heard spike call from the window

"RARITY, you had better take a look at this!"

Applejack-

I remember it like yestarday, those bastards came and dropped right on top of the apple orchard, a few feet to the left and a morter shell would have ended my sister then and there. I saw the paratrooers falling from the sky, i scooped up applebloom off the ground and carried her inside. I put her in a chair and turned on the news chanel.

"Out of nowhere the broncos have invaded, the whole kingdom is under attack. Citizens are being told to stay inside and lock your doors." Clips of military vehicals and soldiors came up, then princess celestia appeard to adress equestria.

"AP, tell me if anything else impotant comes up, im going to make sure we are gona be safe here."

"Dont go, please, im scared."

"Mom and dad would want younto be brave, if something happens to me, you know where dad's weapons are, you do anything you have to to stay alive. I could never forgive myself if you got hurt, now, promise me you will be brave."

"I promise" i saw tears gather in her eyes, so i wiped them away and grabed the rifle we use to scare off crows. I stepped outside, to find only the red infurno of our crop burning, the broncos torched the place. I pulled the stock up to my shoulder and had the gun at the ready. I didnt want to kill anyone but i was prepared to do what i had to to keep applebloom safe.

Celestia-

"People of equestria" i saw thousands of worries faces looking at me, waiting for me to do something, but there was simply nothing i could do. "The rumors are true, the broncos have invaded equestrian soil." The crowd was silent. "But we will retaliate with force, and extreme predgidus. Our armed forces will push back the broncos to where they came from." I walked off the stage and into the palace. I was about to cry, not because if the situation, but because i had just lied to each and every one of my subjects. The truth is that our army may as well have been plowed by a steamroller, and nearly half the kingdom had been leveled by tanks and other artilory, citizens were being held hostage, taken prisoner, and even killed. I was taken back to the bunker below ground for safety, but it didnt make me feel any more protected than running around in the middle of the battlefield without a weapon, not without richard, he was the best i ever knew. His daughters are still in equestria, i dont remember their names but they are both very sweet girls. Richard and i fell in love, but it couldnt last after it got in the way of our professional relationship.

Applejack-

From the flames emerged a large figure, too big to be a pony, then i saw the raw eyes and red mane, a bronco. He had a gun and grenades, i put my sights on him before he saw me, i hoped he would keep walking, but he stayed and looked at me, he tried to shoot but i was faster on the trigger. I had a hard time coming to terms with killing somebody even in self defence, until i saw the body, the i could do nothing but break down and cry. I touched the wound and kept asking myself how i could have done this. I picked up my rifle and grabbed the bronco's assault rifle just in case.

As soon as i got inside applebloom saw the blood on my hooves, she looked mortified, i can only imagine what she must have been thinking.

Applebloom-

My sister, no she couldnt have. Aj would never kill, she couldnt, she woosed out when dad was gona take us shooting the crows in the garden.

"Did you-"

"Yes" she cut me off.

I was too small to hold a gun, but applejack gave me a kitchen knife as a last resort, if she couldnt get to me in time. We walked outside, it was quiet.

"Say close to me." She said. I was nearly hugging her hind leg. We walked into the main part of town, we heard footsteps from around the next corner, applejack trained her sights on what ever was about to come out. Then when my soster was about to pull the trigger, Spike's head popped out.

"Cmon guys, its just applejack and applebloom." He whispered over his shoulder. Then rarity, rainbowdash, and twighlight sparkle walked up behind spike.

"Guys, your alright, we began to worry." Said rarity walking up to us. Twighlight and rainbow were walking up to us too, but they stopped when they saw the blood on applejack.

Spike-

Recently rarity had been getting me to do a lot of extra chores, around the house and i was trying to het her to ease up, i finally got her cut out some of my work when rainbow dash showed up, she was pissed off about something but i couldnt hear what she said. It was summer so it was hot and rarity wouldnt turn up the A/C, so i went to open a window, but what had been a bright and sunny day, was now a firey orange sky behind an ocean of burning buildings. I called to rarity.

"RARITY, you had better take a look at this!"

Twighlight-

I ran to applejack and applebloom, i was relieved to see they were ok. i was happyto see them, but then i saw the blood on applejack.

"What did you do." Applejack never looked at me.

"What i had to." She said without and rainbow saw it as well.

"How could you?" Rarity asked, horrified at the thought. Then bloom stepped in and stood up for her older sister.

"Hey, if she hadnt done what she did, we would both be dead, she had to make a choice, and she did what any of you would have failed to do. My sister protected me, when yall would have sat there and watched your family murdered. If i was the one with the gun, i would have done the same."

We were all stunned, bloom had never been so assertive, so powerful. What she said may have horrified us, but it was true none the less.

The 6 of us went from house to house looking for any survivors. We decided applejack's house was the safest place to stay for the time being, there was only 2 broncos that landed near her house, one went into the city, and well, you know what happened to the other. On the way we picked up sweetie belle and scootaloo, who were hiding in the large Town Hall building, then we found Amberlocks in her salon. The now 9 of us snuck past the few broncos that occupied the town. When we got to the Apple's farm just ouside if town we all went over what we knew and what had to be done.

"What do you mean, fight back? They outnumber us 5 to 1 and we arent even trained or armed." Amberlocks, along with all the others except rarity, applejack, and i were prepared to do anything to get out of fighting back.

"I can coverthe training, my dad was in the royal gaurd, he tought me everything we need to know." Rarity exclaimed.

"If we attack the broncos on out own terms, we dont need more soldiors, we already have the element of suprise. A resistance is the last thing they would expect." I told the others.

"And i can get us some guns." Applejack said. "Yall watch the doors and windows, il be right back." She proceded upstairs and came back with a large trunk. She set the case down on the table and opened it up. We all stared at the box of rifles, shotguns, SMGs, assault rifles, pistols, and knives. "Equestrians, prepare yourselves for war."


	2. Part 2

Rarity-  
After the apple's farm stopped burning, we all agreed that we would have to do something sooner or later, and it looked like the longer we waited, the more organized the broncos would get. We stayed at AJ's house. We woke up at 6am to start our training. We started with marksmanship, got the guns and used old cans for target practice, when everybody hit 10 cans in a row from 30 meters we moved to stealth training. We would split into 2 teams, one to gaurd gaurd the house, and the other tried to sneak in unseen. The third excercise of the day was hand to hand combat. We sparred in the yard, and took turns holding pillows in front of our stomachs while another practiced punching. We made lunch out of the little food at the house, once we finished it all we would sneak into town for more rations. After lunch we practiced our defending positions in case we were dicovered and attacked by bronco forces.

We each worked on different skills in teams of 2. Rainbow dash and applejack worked with snipers and other long range weapons. Scootaloo and amberlocks both specialized in recon and survailance, the moved through the outskirts of town to gather info on how many men we were up against and how many prisoners we had to save. Twilight and spike were in charge of demolition and heavy weaponry, spike was especialy pleased with his new place in our ranks. sweetie belle and i both partnered up. We shot could handle shot guns, and we were both exceptionaly athletic, they decided to be our close quarters fighters. Applebloom shocked us all with not only her speach defending her sister, but also her ability to wield a knife, not to mention kicked all our butts in the sparring ring. She could throw a knife for a headshot 9 times out of 10 from 10 meters, thus, she our stealth fighter and eyes inside any compound we needed.

Rainbow dash-  
In the months we trained, applejack and i really grew close. We made a connection, like i have had with a boy or 2, but this was stronger, like we, liked eachother in "that" way, but i just kinda shook the feeling off, the idea was crazy, and even if i did feel that way twords her, i know she just thought of me as a friend.

AJ was a real crack shot, it was a bull's eye every shot for her. She gave me pointers and definitly inproved my shooting. The only annoying thing about her was that she had a rediculas nickname for me.  
"Hey Skittles, or, nice shot skittles." It usully didnt bother me too much, but after a while it got pretty repetitive.

The day finally came when we all new we were ready for our first mission. We started small, taking out and raiding a small patroll one the edge of town. 4 broncos trotted in a line with guns and supplies on their backs. Amber gave us all the info we needed and scootaloo planned out the takedown, telling us exactly what to do.  
"Applebloom, your gona take out the one in the back, then applejack and dash, your gona take out the two in the back as soon as bloom gives you the go-ahead. Rarity, you and sweetie belle flank him and take em out." Scootaloo gave us the play by play for the mission as we snuck into ponyville from the east. AJ and i set up our snipers 2 blocks down from the enemy patroll. We watched through our scopes as applebloom was creeping up behind the broncos. We were all a bit supprised at how well she could handle taking a life, but none of us were really jolted by this except applejack. It must have been hard to kill, but worse to watch you own family kill somebody. We patiantly waited for bloom to give the signal. Finally, she got the body behind a corner, and turned to us, pulling her hoof across her neck. 'Kill them' was the message that bounced around in my head for the short 2 seconds it took me to aim, then, BANG, a bit of blood, and the bronco fell to the ground, right next to AJ's target. The last enemy looked around, and noticed he was alone with two bodies. He held his gun at the ready as he moved to cover, but it was too late, rarity and sweetie were not but 5 meters away. I heard 1 shot, and one shell hit the ground.

After we got back to the farm we celebrated our first succesful mission, and prayed that the rest our struggle would go smoothly. For about a month we layed low, taking out small patrolls and lowering the bronco's numbers. Of course they noticed almost imediatly that their soldiers were slowly going missing, and the commanders of the equestrian occupation eventually got word of a resistance in ponyville. We continued to use hit and run tactics, and so far, so good. Gorilla warfare was our way of fighting, it was the only stratigy we had against forces 50 strong.

It took almost a year before our last mission in ponyville, our final takedown and our first hostage rescue. All the civilions had been moved into the center of town. Taking out all the broncos without any prisoners being exicuted was gona be tough, but we knew we could handle it, or atleast, we thought so.

Applejack-  
It was time to liberate ponyville, time to get rid of those red-maned, good for nothin broncos once and for all. I was ready for action until i heard the news. The broncos had my sister.

About a week before we were ready to strike, Bloom was helping amberlocks and scootaloo get into town to find out how many gaurds would be watching the hostages at a time, but they never came back. Rarity and sweetie belle went to find them the next day, they came back only to report that the others had been captured. I wasnt waitin any longer for a fight, i was gona start 1.

The reamaining 6 of us prepared to move into town. We had a plan, and that plan involved me staying back and sniping, but when i saw that the leader of the take over on ponyvile had my sister on her knees, and gun pressed to her head, i was furious, and i planned on him seeing my face. I walked to the center of town with the others, but when we split up i didnt go to my post, i ran into the own square with my assault rifle held high. The others finally saw me and were yelling at me over the walkie talkies to get back to my position, but i ignored them and kept on going. I snuck in the back of the square. I creeped right up to a gaurd from behind and stuck a knife in his chest, then drug the body behind some trash cans. I threw the knife into another bronco and shot 2 more. Knowing i this was how i chose to do this, skittles sent 3 bullets into a group of enemies. The last bronco, the commander, with his gun held to my baby sister, looked at me laughing.  
"Ha, did you really think you could win, didnyou think you could just walk in and save your sister, well sorry cowgirl, it just doesnt work that way." He said to me as 6 more troops came and surrounded me. I put my gun on the ground.  
"Im sorry bloom, i thought i could bring you back home." The word i told my sister, what i thought may be my last.  
"ANY OTHER PONY WHO TRIES TO SAVE THESE 2 WILL BE SHOT IMEDIATLY, right after i put a round in the back of both of their heads." Yelled the commander.  
"Dont worrie." I heard a soft voice whisper, "i have a plan." It was applebloom. She flashed the blade of a knife that was concieled under her mane. I nodded, then grabbed the gun of the closest bronco and uses him as a sheild while i used his gun to kill 2 other troops, then kicked him forward and put two rounds in the back of his head. I turned to shoot the commander, but only saw a body with a knife in his back.  
"Dont ever leave my side again, you hear?" I told my sister, who was hugging me so tight i had to catch my breath after she let go.

I saw spike walking to me with Amber and scootaloo. "I found them a block over, they were kept in the library."

"Good, now let's get back to the farm, these 3 could use a rest."

Twilight-  
Working with spike was fun, but he went totaly brain-dead when ever rarity walked by. He had a good arm for throwing grenades, and he knew the perfect spot to place a small charge to do a huge amount to damage. He had been my assistant for several years now, but now that we were equals, i saw how fun he was. Our friendship grew stronger and stronger. He was no longer a baby dragon, infact he had grown taller than me, well of coarse he is a dragon, so i guess i knew he had to hit a growth spurt someday.

We decided to leave ponyville and move on to help free the rest of equestria. Amberlocks and scootaloo stayed behind to keep our home safe, we got word every once and a while of an attack on ponyville, but our teamates had armed and trained the willing ponies to fight and fend off any invaders.

We arrived at manesburg a few days after leaving home. We quickly disposed of any forces around the city, abd even though manesburg was massive compared to ponyville, we liberated it in almost a third of the time. Our experience helpped a lot in every city we went too. Our 6th stop, mareford, we ran into some trouble when a helicopter was there to greet us, but rainbow dash shot the pilot before any of us were hurt. All of us bonded, im not talking about that bonding we do on those friendship and self discovery journies, none of that crap, we talked every night, telling stories, sharing secrets, playing games, and getting to know each other on a really deep level.

Spike-  
Looking back, our "normal day" was pretty messed up. Grab bag full of explosives, get machine gun, sneak into city, blow stuff up, shoot bad guys, save hostages, and run away. The reallu weird part is, we got so used to it, it was just another day.

I dont know if anybody knows, but i had a real crush on rarity. I asked applejack for advice, i regret even thinking about that, so i went to twilight.  
"Cmon spike, you use explosives every day, you kill broncos with a machine gun, you are a dragon for celestia's sake, and asking a girl out is what scares you?" Again, i regret even trying. Eventually i got the nerve to tell rarity how i felt about her.  
"Rarity, ever since i first saw you in ponyville, ive really liked you, a lot, and i just cant stop thinking about you." She put her hoof over my mouth, i wasnt sure if she was happy, confused, or what, but then she finallu spoke,  
"Thats all i needed to hear." She leaned in and kissed me. YES! This was the greatest moment i can remember other than seeing her for the first time, and that one time i walked in on her showering.

Rarity and i were finally together. We connected like we never had before, like, when i told her i liked her, a spark just went off. In the days, months, and finally years passed that we spent freeing equestria, our love just became more powerful.

Applejack-  
For 4 long years, we have been fighting, and since day one, i have noticed skittles has been looking at me, in a certain way that sent an offputing message, but until today i just waved it off, i mean, its not like she felt "that way" twords me, we have been friends since we were born, i dont think that could change.

We were getting close to canterlot, it would be our last stop, and we expected to be there within the next 6 months. For now we had work to do in hoofsburogh. Dash and i were on a hill, the others were back at the safe house, a barn we found that had been abandon during the invasion. We were shooting down at some trenches, only 6 or 7 broncos, nothing we couldnt handle. We had taken out all but 2, we pushed them into the open, easy targets, but then, something just HAD to go wrong.

About 50 meters away, a whole platoon of red-manes. We couldnt take em by ourselves.  
"RUUUUUUN! " Rainbow yelled. And thats what we did, we hauled our tails, occasionaly turning to shoot. I saw one bronco take a bullet to the head, it was dashy, a clean kill.  
"Nice shot skittles." I told her.  
"Quit calling me that"she snapped back.  
"It aint my fault if youre the one always braggin about your fancy mane." We kept going until one second, rainbow sah was right next to me, the next, she was on the ground. I stopped and saw she had tripped over a root.  
"My leg, i think its broken." She couldnt get up. "Keep going, forget me applejack." She was hurt bad, bit i couldnt leave her.  
"No pony left behind!" I told her as i slung my gun across my back and picked dash up off the ground.  
"Leave me, il just slow you down, you have to get back to the others."  
"I told you once and ill tell you again, no pony left behind." I ran as fast as i could. Eventually our attackers stopped chasing us. I set rainbow down propped up against a tree.  
"You didnt have to do that." She began to blush.  
"Your my best friend, i most certainly did have to do that." I was tired and had to lay down, we were still a couple miles from camp, so we decided to wait until the others came to look for us. "Lets take a look at that ankle." I said, but she stopped me. Dash came closer, almost touching my face. She came closer and closer. Skittles, what are you-" she put her lips on mine. I never thought she was actually, well, i never thought she liked me like that. We kisses for about ten seconds before i pushed her away. "Look sugar cube, i like you, but my barn door just dont swing that way." She sat back against the tree, i saw a tear run down her cheek. "Youre right, im sorry" we didnt speak for the rest of the night. In the morning twilight found us.  
"Guys! I found them." Twilight yelled. The others came to us. My leg wasnt hurt to bad, but after last night's run, i could barley stand up. Rarity and spike helped rainbow dash back to the barn while i held onto applebloom and spike's shoulders.

Rainbow dash-  
I was crushed, this feeling had been building up for all those years we spent fighting. It felt like magic when we kissed, and i thought she would have felt it too. I didnt know what think, i was definatly sad, but, some other feeling, i didnt know if it was anger, or self loathing, or maybe just the lifeless feeling of a broken heart.

I sat in bed all day, it wasnt like i could move with my broken leg. I used this time to clean my gun, watch the clock, and think about applejack. Her kind heart, her beautiful voice, her cute laugh, her amazing coat that looked like the sunrise over ponyville. I couldnt get over her, all i could think about was applejack, and how, i knee she wouldnt love me back. I should have known she wouldnt feel that way, i should have known there wasnt a lesbian bit of her body. I hadnt "liked" girls until i fell for applejack, that day, we banned together to begin the resistance.

I couldnt handle this feeling, it felt like my brain was hitting me with a baseball bat, over and over, from when i woke up, till when i feel asleep. This was just like her. Cloudluf. I kept telling myself i liked stallions until i met her, but when i admitted my feelings to her, she laughed, she was my best friend. Later that day she kissed me, and without me knowing, she video tapped it, and from the angle, it looks like i kissed her. Cloudluf took the video and sread it around school. For months i had to deal with people laughing, making fun of me, and being total asses. The lighting bolt on my cutie mark wasnt there when i first got my mark. All that ridicule drove me to break all the windows in my room, then when cloudluf's parents almost took me to court for attemted rape, i used te broken glass to cut myself, right below my cutie mark, i repeatedly cut myself and then wiped the blood on my hands. My last day of school (before i was expelled) i went up to cloudluf, showed her my cuts and the blood on my hand. "THIS IS WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!" I punched her and ran out.

I finally decided i didnt like girls, i was just going crazy, all this war, blood, and killing had driven me insane. I started laughing, all the painkillers i was on had made me hysterical. Later that afternoon applejack walke over to my bed.  
"Hey skittles, how's your leg?" She asked with an awkward tone in her voice.  
"Better than it was." I replied. I never looked at her, she was with me for an hour, just keeping me company for an hour and i never looked at her. The guilt was eating me from the inside out.  
"Look, about last night-" she bagan. "I hope i didnt hurt your feelins or nothin, i aint tryin to be hurtful, i just-" i cut her off.  
"You dont have to apologize, i crossed a line, i shouldnt have kissed you, im sorry if you feel violated." I told her.  
"Nah, its alright, you like mares, that doesnt bother me one bit, but im the stallion-liker kinda gal." She walked out of the room, then poked her head back in." If it makes ya feel any better, the kiss 'was' kinda nice." She finally left.

The others fought in the next town over while i stayed in the barn with sweetie belle. I had never really talked to her before, never a real conversation. I tought her how to clean her gun, which i had learned from AJ. We talked about music, it turns our we both like a lot of the same bands, we talked about who we 'liked', i of course lied and just made us a name for a stallion, she said it was some boy in her class, i didnt know him. I learned a lot about her, rarity never talked about her.

Applejack-  
Ever since her leg healed, rainbow dash has really been an ass. She was mean to all of us, and just seemed downright pissed off. We stopped back in ponyville to pick up some food, water, and ammunition, and we caught up with some friends back home, and she made fluttershy cry. She's been a pain in all of our butts, especially mine. She damn near killed me on our fight in cloudsdale, the girl stuck her rifle right in my face when i tried to help her corect her scope. That pony is as arrogant as rarity and her cloths, and more if an ass than a donkey.

We made our way to staliac city. Word of our resistance had gotten out, and when he got this stop, we were confronted with a mighty strong welcome. We saw snipers in the buildins and machine guns on every block. Spike set a charge on the outer wall, which got us into the buisness distrect, we used our knives to silently take out any gaurds we couldnt avoid. Twilight was about to blow a hole in the middle wall to get to the residential distrect when a heap of broncos saw us. They sent round after round at us. Nobody was shot except spike, who wasnt hurt too bad with his scales protectin em. We eventualy blew the third wall to get to the government distrect. We got in and moved to the constelation tower, an observitory across from the town house. We saw the leader of the staliac city take over, put 2 caps in his back and drove the rest of the broncos back to the hell hole they came from.

We got back to the barn and i took rainbow dash into a private room.  
"The hell was that?" I asked with a lot of anger in my tone.  
"What?" Dash pretended to be confused, but we both knew what was up.  
"You know what im talkin 'bout, you have been a jerk since your leg healed."  
"I have not."  
"Oh dont play stupid, you and i both know the problem, now i aint too mad, i just want to know why."

Rainbow dash-  
I told her everything. I like mares instead of stallions, how i almost killed myself because of cloudluf, how princess celestia added the bolt on my cutie mark to cover up my scars, even how i was kicked out of junior speedsters bording school for false rape charges. She put a hoof around me and i put my head on her shoulder. I was crying my eyes out into her shoulder.  
"Its gona be alright sugar cube, i forgive ya." She said as she walked me over to my bed and sat down with me. She kissed my forehead and layed down with me. There was a thunder storm that night, it led to nightmares about cloudluf, how i beat the shit out of her after the talent show. After the whole school knew i was lesbian, some ponies got so hateful, when i started my flying act, somepony changed the music to the katy filly song 'i kissed a mare'. I ran off the stage, then the next day i went up to cloudluf and broke her wing. That whore deserved worse, but i was partialy satisfied, and even though i got suspended, i was worth it.

Each time i woke up that night screeming and crying, afraid that cloudluf was there next to me, i was calmed down to see another face, applejack's. She stayed with me all night, calming me down, singing me back to sleep with the image of her sweet face and the sound of her calming voice.

In the morning AJ woke me up with breakfast on a tray. "Need anything sugar cube?" She asked.  
"I just want some alone time." I saw applejack walk out, then i heard rarity talking to her.  
"Last night, what was dash talking to you about?" Out of feer i almost jumped out the window and flew away, thinking that my crush would tell rarity i was a lesbian, and they would both laugh at me, but instead, i heard that soft sweet voice say, "i dont beleive im entitled to tell ya that, i reckon dashy will tell ya when she's ready."

Rarity-  
Finally, the big day was here, the day we were to liberate Canterlot. We didnt plan on coming so soon, but when word was out that the princess was being held hostage, we had to act. We approached the gates.  
"I see 2 snipers, and 1 MG, not worth the risk, were gona need another way in." Appleblossem told us.  
"Your right baby sister, lets try and scale the back walls of the palace." AJ said.  
"Im not your baby sister, im 14."  
"You may be a teenager, but you will always be my baby sister." We continued to the back, were we found a blind spot between 2 gaurd towers. I pulled a rope from my pack and gave it to rainbow dash, who flew to the top of the palace wall and tied up the rope. We climbed the rope, one by one, until everypony was inside the city. We got halfway across the city before we were spotted by a sniper. The sniper hit twilight's hind leg.  
"TWILIGHT!" I yelled. She lifted her head and limped to cover. Rainbow dash ran over to help her, but when dash saw the blood on twilights cutie mark, she collapsed.

Rainbow dash-  
The blood on twilights cutie mark, it sent off a flare of memories about my scars and and the memories that would be imprinted in my brain forever. All the cruel things like pushing me down in the mud, and tge names i was called like "marelicker" and "fillyfucker", i couldnt stand up, i couldnt hold on.

"Skittles? Cmon girl i know you can hear me, please wake up." My eyes only opened when i heard the beautiful voice that only belonged to applejack. "Rainbow dash, i know your in there somewere." Finaly i could see, first as a blur, but it all came in to focus. I was looking up at applejack's face. We were in the palace.  
"How did we get here?" I asked.  
"We made it past the red-manes and pulled ya in here."  
"What about twilight, is she ok?" Applejack didnt say anything, she just closed her eyes and turned away. I looked in the corner of the room to see applebloom crying next to a purple mare, the pony was on the ground, dead, twilight was dead.  
"She lost too much blood, we tried to bandage the wound but by the time we got to safety it was too late." I felt a tear on my cheek, applejack wiped it off my face and helped me up.

Applebloom-  
Dash picked up twilight's lifeless body, we were not going to let her be buried in a place that was not her home. We split up to find the princess, i went with my sister, spike went with rarity, and rainbow went with sweetie belle.

AJ and i ran upstairs, we didnt find the princess but we did find a fight. Applejack dropped her sniper and went for her pistols while i grabbed my knives. We took down 4 of the 5 broncos in our way. Applejack was out of ammo and was now in hand to hand combat. I was too far away to help, and even if i was, i couldnt use my knives due to the risk of shanking my own sister.  
"Bloom, turn your head." She said, her hooves locked with the bronco's.  
"I said TURN YOUR HEAD!" I looked away, i heard a crack, and when i turned around, there was blood everywere, it was on the floor, the wall, and all over applejack. I saw a bit of the bronco's mane poking out from the edge one table, and a tail that was behind a chair, i couldnt see the body and i didnt even want to know.

Spike-  
Rarity and i were cornered. We had been forced back into a small room, any second now the red-manes (as applejack calls them) would break down the door.  
"I think this is it rarity." I knew this was the end.  
"Spike, i love you."  
"I love you too rarity." I was prepared to die, but if i was going down, i was going down on my own terms. I picked up my machine gun and aimed it at the door. "Get behind me rarity."

The door finally collapsed and 10 broncos were standing, about to fill us full of lead, but before either the broncos or i could shoot, they were shot, 1 by 1, i looked up to see rainbow dash and sweetie belle had saved us. We regrouped with applejack and applebloom on tue top floor. We found celestia held captive by 4 broncos. Applejack and rarity took them out, then i used my claw to cut the ropes that tied the princess' hooves behind her back. We heard hoofsteps and made a wall around the princess. 11 broncos came up from the stairs. We took out 4 of them before they got off the staircase.

I slid behind a table a flipped it on its side. Applejack ran up tool cover right next to me.  
"Spike, those scales 'a yours are bulletproof right?" AJ asked me.  
"Maybe from a pistol, the guns these guys have would rip holes in me like paper." I told her.  
"Hmm, if we can get them to use their pistols, can ya get me closer?"  
"It's worth a shot." I said as she shot at least 10 holes in the wall next to the broncos, she hit a water pipe by pure chance and soaked the broncos, along with their guns, rendering them useless. They all had low caliber side arms, some automatic, some not, but what mattered is that they couldnt hurt me. "Nice shot AJ, how did you know where the water line was?"  
"I didnt."

I jumped from behind our table and fired a barage of bullets. Applejack got behind me. We walked together, she was using me a shield, but it didnt bother me, 9mm bullets kinda tickled. We got close enough to kill the remaining broncos.

Celestia-  
It was so heroic, 6 brave souls came to rescue me- wait a second, what about twilight?  
"Brave heros, i thank you for you service to you homeland, and your princess. I owe each of you my life. But i must ask, where is my student?" I saw spike walk to the corner of the room and pick somethin up. Everypony in te room was sad, and i did not know why until i saw what spike was carrying to me.

Applebloom-  
I lowered my head and stood next to twilight's body. "It was quick, she would have felt no pain." I just blatenly lied to the princess. the truth was that twilight had been laying on the ground screaming in agony for about 20 minutes before we could get to her, and at least another halfhour while we carried her across the city before she died in the main hall of the palace.

I watched a tear fall down the princess' cheek. "Bring her closer." Celestia commanded. I moved the body right next to the princess. All 6 of us watched in awe as celestia lowered her head, so her long horn lightly touched twilight's gun shot wound. The blood, instead of dripping out, was flowing back in, and the skin closed up over the flesh. Twilight's horn glowed, and so did her cutie mark. Her legs began to move, she opened her eyes and bagan to breath.

Twilight stood up and said only this, "Give me a gun, im ready to kick some ass." We all ran up and hugged twilight. Rarity handed her the spare shotgun she had on her back along with some shells from her pack.  
"Lets get out 'a here, those red-manes are sure to come with reenforcements." Applejack said.

My sister had taken charge of the group, she was the unspoken leader of the group. She always knew what to do, always got us through the struggle, no matter how hard it was or how heavy the burden was, all without asking for a single 'thank you'.

Celestia led us down a secret hallway which was opened by the pulling of a lanturn on the wall. We ran down, flanking celestia on sides. Rainbow dash walked backwards woth her gun aimed at the room outside in case any broncos caught up to us. Once the door closes by itself dash turned back around, her gun barel was about 10 centemeters above my head.

"When we get to the end of the tunnel, we can escape through the courtyard, from there we can get to the only stronghold we still have controll over, it's on the other side of canterlot. You all will be needed there." Celestia instructed. After a few minutes of silence, we got to the end, the princess pushed open the door to the back of the castle. We saw two gaurds, i snuck up and stuck a knife in one of their necks, while spike used his claws to cut the other bronco's throat. We were seen by a sniper, who called fir backup before sendin a few round in our direction.  
"NOT AGAIN" Twilight complained. Spike pulled the pin on a grenade and threw it at a truck that had a machine gun mounted to the top. The truck exploded before a bronco could man the gun.

Rainbow dash-  
I used my rifle to take out the sniper in the castle spire. I shot 3 more broncos with assault rilfes, followed by the driver of a second truck. I followed applejack who took point to get us across the city. We ran through alleyways, inside buildings, and across rooftops. We were confronted with only one bronco, but that one bronco nearly killed all of us.

A large robot with 2 legs and 2 large machine guns and a bronco in the cockpit. I lifted my gun and shot at the bronco, but the glass was bulletproof. The guns on the metal bronco began to shoot. We all took cover. A few bullets scrapped my mane, i saw the hairs float down to the ground. Applejack, who was in front on me got up an took a few shots, but to no effect. When she stood up i was looking right at her butt, but i quickly got my focus back, now was no time to stare at my best friend's ass.

Twilight threw a grenade and hit the Mech's left hip, the leg instantly went limp, it was broken, and we knew how to kill this thing. Applejack rolled to the next bit of cover, jumped up and sent 3 bullets into the Mech's right arm, it was now disabled. Again i couldnt help but to look at her butt again.

The Mech got into a defensive stance, covering its left arm and right leg.  
"We need to get closer, appleblossem, if i can get you close, can you disable it?" I yelled to blossem, who was across the street and could barely hear me after the Mech launched a grenade next to her. I ran up behind some rubble, bloom was by my side just seconds after. "Rarity, spike, i need you guus to draw the Mech's fire while i get bloom closer."  
"You got it dash, rarity cover me." Spike said as he open fired on the metal bronco. Rarity got up and sent a shot right at the left shoulder of the robot, but the small pelets in her shells had little effect on the bot.  
"Rarity, catch!" Applejack called as she threw her MP5 to the white mare. Rarity turned around and unloaded on the Mech's leg, destroying it.  
"That's your cue." I told applebloom. We had gotten behind the Mech so she could climb on top of it. I gave her a boost so get her to the cockpit, them bloom made her way to the hinges that opened and closed the glass covering the bronco inside, then she cut all the wires that she could get her knife on. The Mech spun wildly for a few seconds before blowing up. Bloom was blown back right on top of me, we were both thrown a few meters back.

"YEEHAW!" Applejack yelled, "now cmon princess, we have to get goin-" her eyes teared up, AJ couldnt speak. She ran over to her little sister who had blood and burns all over her chest.

"Applebloom, are you ok?" Applejack called again and again until we got back to the pony stronghold, it was the townhouse that had been converted into a hospital. Applejack asked Celestia why she didnt bring bloom back to life like she did twilight.  
"The spell only works on unicorns, the magic is tranfered from me to the horn, if there is no horn, i cant do anything. Im sorry applejack." Applejack lowered her head. She stood by applebloom who was laying on a pile of hay for the last several minutes of her life. A tear down AJ's face dripped off her nose as rarity walked in. Rarity put a hoof around applejack's shoulders.  
"Im sorry baby sister, please dont leave me." Tears were running down her face like a waterfall, she was losing her voice, it was almost already gone.  
"H-hey AJ." Applebloom woke up, her pupils as wide as they could be.  
"I love you, dont you ever forget that, ya hear?"  
"I love you AJ, thank you."  
"What did i do other than let yourself end up like this?"  
"You started the revoloution, you saved equestria, without you we would all still be under occupation by the broncos, and i would have never got this." Bloom pulled off her blanket to show that she had finally earned her cutie mark, she earned it for giving her life for equestria, for valor, and honor. It was a combat knife crossed with an assault rifle, the AL23, bloom's 2 favorite weapons. Applejack wiped away tears while bloom was holding them back. They hugged, then bloom gave a soft, "Goodbye applejack, i love you." And applebloom closed her eyes for the last time. I watched it all from the door, i wanted to go to AJ but she needed to be alone.

Back in ponyville, applejack buried her sister with granny smith and big mac, and the other 7 of us that fought. "Without her all of us would be in graves right now, she gave her life for ours. Whenever it was hard on the battlefield, all i had to do was look at her face to know everything was ok. We all loved 'er, we foght next to 'er, we fight on for 'er." Applejack finished and filled in the dirt. After everybody but applejack left, it began pouring rain. AJ sat next to bloom's gravestone, "talking to" her sister. I walked out to her, put a hoof around her. I got her to come inside, i said that i didnt want her to catch a cold, but the truth was that i couldnt stand to see the love of my life this sad. We went in the barn, she got 2 beers from the fridge. Wait, when did she even start drinking alcohol? I didnt even know she would like the stuff. We drank in silence until i spoke up.

"Just remember that she is in a better place now."  
"I know dashy, but, i just wish i could see her laugh one more time, i miss 'er face already." Applejack's face went from saddness to anger in about 2 seconds, this couldnt be good. "DAMIT! Im gona kill the bastards that did this, a bunch 'a F*CKIN BASTARDS!" Applejack punched a hole in the wall of the barn.  
"AJ, you just need to drop your anger and chill out, i know what it's like to lose the pony you love most. I know what it's like to feel that way, and the only way to get past it is by calming down." I stroked her mane, this time it was her turn to cry into my shoulder. When she stopped crying i wiped the tears off her face like she did for me. I looked at her face, and she looked back at me. She was so beautiful, so strong, wait, what was she doing? She leaned in and closed her eyes, she put her lips on mine. It seemed like time stood still, when we kissed i felt the same magic as the first time, and unlike before, she felt it too.  
"What happened to your barn door?"  
"I guess i just changed the hinges."

-TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
